Hydrosols are that other product of
distillation when plants are steam-distilled to release their essential
oil. Hydrosol simply means, hydro or 'water' and sol
or 'solution', that is, the water solution that contains some of
the water-soluble micro-molecules of essential oil as well as
water-soluble plant components. These micro-molecules of essential oil
give the hydrosol its scent and the plant components give the hydrosol
its herbal or floral therapy.

Remember that hydrosols are not just misters, water to which essential
oils have been added. Hydrosols are a unique product, a true part of
distillation and cannot be manufactured synthetically.

The
micro-drops of essential oil are left intact in the hydrosol. The
hydrosol is only the first part of the distilled non-alcoholic
waters that will come over - not all of it. They can be bottled
100% pure as they come out of the still or can be manufactured into
products.

They have a strong taste, strong scent and a perfect acid balance of 5.5
to match human skin.

This is a French word originally applied to wine but that can easily be
applied to the factors that affect an essential oil and its hydrosol.
The essential oil reflects the expression of the earth, or the
particular planting site (its ecology), in the resultant essential oil. Terroir is a factor of soil, shade, wind, water, rain and terrain. In
the hydrosol, the water used in the distillation can also have an
effect.

One
of the mystiques of essential oils is the variation available. First,
let us consider some of the variables in agriculture.

Earth, Wind, Water, Rain,
and Terrain

1.)
Clonal selection of the variety: Clones are physically like
identical twins, but even closer, yet they show some different chemical
characteristics that can have a rather dramatic difference in the end
product. As an example, there are over 25 different identified clonal
selections of Basil.

2.)
Location of the planting: Anyplace, while only a relatively small
area in relation to other growing region of the area, may exhibit widely
different soil types, depths, textures, drainage, fertility, slopes
(from steep hillsides to flat land), sun exposure, etc. Even within a
small property, we see differences in a small distance.

3.)
Weather variations: Rainfall in the spring, as well as later can
directly affect flower and seed size, chemical concentration and health
of the plant. We can see a wide variation of rainfall within any area.
Regarding local temperature, there are hot spots and cool spots in any
area.

Quality Essential Oil &
Hydrosol
How to Get A Quality Essential Oil and Hydrosol

By Jeanne Rose

In
order to get a quality essential oil and hydrosol, you must first start
with the correct cultivar type of plant and then plant it in the best
location in the correct soil type (for Lavender this may be above 2500
feet in chalky soil). Then distil it, analyze the essential oil and if
the numbers (GC/MS) are correct for that particular plant, then you can
plant out this as a crop and be pretty much assured that the essential
oil and hydrosol will be a quality product. Each species of plant will
have different needs and requirements.

You will also need a
three-year plan before you try to market your product:

1. Know Your Soil.
2. Location, Location, Location.
3. Water source and type.
4. Choose the correct plant that will match the terroir.
5. Harvest at the correct time.
6. Harvest the correct part.
7. Choose a method of distillation and type of equipment that works for
your plant.
8. Choose whether you are distilling for essential oil or hydrosol.
9. Distil with the art and craft of careful knowledge and many years
experience.
10. Hydrosols should be assessed for quality by all these 5 criteria
(known as of 2007)
a). Scent - Organoleptically, the hydrosol should
have Scent
b). Taste (#2)
c). pH should be less than 5.5 (#3)
d). Pounds/Volume: How many pounds of plant material
went in for how much volume/pounds of hydrosol? This should be
about 1 lb in and about
1 qt± out  or another way is 1 lb in/2 lb± out. (#4)
e). TOC  What is the Total Organic Carbon in the
hydrosol?
11. Bottle and label your sterile hydrosol or essential oil.
12. Market the product.

An Essential Oil/Hydrosol
for Aromatherapy Should Be:

1.

Natural

No
synthetics or synthetic components.

2.

Origin

It should
come from a known origin.

3.

Named

It should be
derived from a named species.

4.

Organoleptic Quality

It should
exhibit the characteristic odor and color.

5.

Batch
Code No.

It should
have a batch number to indicate records have been kept.

6.

Date
Distilled

A
distillation date gives you an indication of age.

7.

Quality

Do not
assume that price equals quality

Quality
Quality is important and should be evaluated by
examining the provence (background/terroir) of the oil/hydrosol and its
organoleptic qualities such as color, clarity, viscosity, intensity and
taste. Evaluate as much as possible  as soon as you purchase the
oil/hydrosol and periodically thereafter. Start with color and odor.
Each essential oil Chemotype has a standard color and characteristic
odor. Each hydrosol has a characteristic odor, pH, TOC. Always record
your impressions and take notes that can be later referred to later.

The
name Hydrosol was first used for some of
the waters resulting from distillation in 1990 by Jeanne Rose. They are
the pure natural 100% non-alcoholic distillate that is produced during
the distillation process that also extracts the essential oils. They are
quite fragrant, strongly flavored and have a pH of 5 or so. If they do
not follow at least these 3 criteria then they cannot be considered
hydrosol.

Hydrosols are real aromatic therapy. You might consider them the
homeopathy of aromatherapy. Just as herbs are to homeopathy so are
essential oils to hydrosols. Hydrosols represent the true synergy of herbalism and aromatherapy.

When the plants or flowers are put into the still, they are subjected to
either boiling water, steam or both. The steam hits the plant, softens
the scent-containing cells; the essential oil that is contained within
the cell escapes as a vapor. This vapor mixes with the steam and goes
through the gooseneck of the still apparatus and through the condensing
coil, which is surrounded, by water. This cools the steam and vapor,
which pours into the receiver as water and essential oil. The best
scented hydrosols are obtained when
copper is used in the
distillation.

Due
to the difference in specific gravity of essential oil and water, the
condensate cools, the essential oil separates, floats to the surface of
the water (hydrosol) and is removed leaving the hydrosol behind.
However, not all of the water that comes over into the receiver is the
hydrosol  only the first 25-50%. For every 1-2 lbs of plant material,
only up to 1 quart of hydrosol is produced. The hydrosol is acid in
nature, usually about 4.5 to 5 pH.